Press for rackets



March 17, 1931. 1

s. FLOWER 1, 6,596

PRESSES FOR RACKETS Filed March 1, 1928 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 PATENT OFFICE SPENSEB FLOWER, OF SHIPSTOH-ON-STOUR, ENGLAND PRESS FOR RACKETS Application filed March 1, 1928, Serial No. 258,336, and in Great Britain December 15, 1927. V

This invention relates to presses for rackets, and its primary object is to 1mprove the construction and faclhtate the operation thereof and at the same time dispense with the usual nuts and screws by which the required pressure is obtained. The improved construction of press also enables it to be acked or stowed away in less space than hltherto, and also facilitates 1c the introduction and removal of the rackets.

According to the invention movable means are provided with a part capable of moving the upper and lower frames of the press towards each other when the means are moved in one direction and of permitting the frames to be moved away from each other when the means are moved in the opposite direction. The up er and lower frames of the press are pre erably pressed 26 onto the racket or released from the same for clamping or unclamping the racket therein, by one or more cranks, eccentrics, cams or equivalent parts (hereinafter re ferred to as cranks), operated by the means LC-connected therewith. Each of the said cranks may be individually actuated by a lever or equivalent movable member, or two or more of such cranks may be adapted to be operated collectively by a single lever or equivalent movable member. In the latter form where one lever or equivalent movable member is adapted to operate two or more of the said cranks, the latter are operated simultaneously thereby and one move ment thereof suflices to clamp or unclamp a racket in the press. The one or more cranks may be arranged to operate on the said frames through the medium of one or more plates or similar attachments provided in connection with the said frames. The plates or similar parts may be of a resilient or spring construction or form parts of springs, and serve to compensate for any slight wear of p the said cranks to equalize the pressure ex- 457 erted through the frames, and to allow for any variations in the thickness of the rackets.. The up er and lower frames may be held spaced rom each other by spacing de vices such as springs or collars. The one or more movable levers or members or the cranks are connected to projections or arts on one frame and adapted to co-act wit the other frame or parts connected therewith for clamping or unclamping urposes. The frames may be of open or c osed construction and when of closed form may be provided with extensions for wholly enclosing the racket in the press and preventing damage to the gut stringing. The latter may be partially protected by closed forms of frames Without the extensions.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be more fully described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawin s, in which 2-- Figure l is a plan View 0 one construction of the racket press showing part of a tennis racket in position therein.

Figures 2 and 3 are transverse sections respectively taken on the lines 2-2 and 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4. is a transverse section taken on the line 1- 4 of Figure 1, and showing the crank or cam ends of the movable member in two different positions.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a plan View and a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, illustrating an alternative construction of the racket press.

Figures 7 and 8 are sections of part of the press illustrating modifications hereins after described.

Referring to the racket press shown in Figures 1 to 4t inclusive, this comprises an upper frame a and a lower frame b. Each frame is constituted by bars of channel shape in cross section as more particularly shown in Figures 2 and 4, and the frames are so disposed that the channels face each other. The corners b of the lower frame are of solid cross section as shown in Figure 3, and provided with projecting pins 0. On the said pins 0 are arranged coiled springs capable of bearing against the corners of upper frame a which is secured at its corners to such pins 0 by washers 0 and attached to the ends thereof of the pins by riveting over the ends or by means of split pins. The corners .of the upper frame a.

' to the ends of the side bars and the corners of the upper frame. 7 The lower frame 7) is PIOViClQ'ClEWllTh integral upstanding projece 'tions 9 which engage with recesses h in the upperrrame a and have attached to their ends the'puter ends 7' ofthe'movable member y' fidj acent to the outer ends j'are provided the cranked portions j which are adapted one" position; such as'is shown in the right hand of Figure 4', when the movable meiuter' is in the position shownin Figures fl; 2' 3, to bear" on the spring plates and liold the upper and lower frames m'and- 5 the closed condition hearing on the raeketdisposed in the press. The springepernrit rackets of varying thickmess to be placed the press and: the movable memberto be moved to the same extent in each' c'a'se;that is from a position in which the loop handle portion j bears against the projection to the position shown in Figiirelin whichrhe loop handle portion j bears againstthe projection WVhere the movable member is: in the opposite position to" that shown 'in Figure 13' the cranked portions j are in the unclamped position shown at-the'left-hand end of Figure 4. The outer ends j of the member jare rotatahly mounted in upstanding projection g, while the lat ter operating in the recesses prevent relative lateral movement of the upper and lower frames: The'springplates f serveto equalize the pressure-throughout the press, while the coiled springs 0 hold the frames a and b apart when the movable member 7' is in the non-clampingposition; and; facilitate the introduction into or removal from the press of a racquet:

'- The alternative construction shown in Figures 5 and 6, comprises a closed upper frame a and a closed lower frame 5 con nee-ted at the corners by pins 0 fitted with coiled springs 0 for holdingthe frames apart as'in the" construction previously described. The pins 0 may be secured as shown in the lower part of Figure 6,- to the lower frame 6 and fitted at their outer ends 1 in" the manner already described with washers 0 for securing the upper frame thereto and at the same ti me permitting it to move on the pins 0 in opposition to the springs 0 thereon or the pins may be of telescopic construction as sh'own in the upper part of Figure" 6', the pin portion 0 being secured to the upper frame a and the sleeve portion 0 to the lower frame 6 In lieu of the sleeve there maybe provided in the lower frame apertures for receiving the terminal ends of the pin portions. The side frames may be made of plain Wood or sheet metal or of laminated wood with or withoutsheets of metal included-- therewith.- The frames are provided with extensions Z and Z for protecting the parts wof a racket extending beyond the upper and lower edges of the usual form of press such as is shown in Figure 1 The lower frame 6 is fitted with upstanding projections g} which engage with recesses h in the upper frame al while iii-the ends of the projections 9 extending above the level ofthe upper frame is rotatably mounted a rod 9' provided with cranked portions 3' capableof engagingwiththe spring plates f arr'angedon the upper surface of the upper. frame (0 and engagingat their ends with straps f secured to the frames a To prevent excessive longi-r tudinal movement ofthe spring plates 7,- the centre portions f thereof are recessed and receive the cranked portions 3' of the rod j" The latter is adapted-'to be'rotated by a lever 7 which may beprovid'ed onone or both ends thereof, or by a winged plate j either of which serve the same" purpose as the lever in Figure l. V V

In the arrangement shownin Figure 7, the clamping and unclamp'ing of the press is effected by separate cranked portions 3' one of which is provided near'each side m'argm of the upper frame 0% Each cranked portioi'i j forms apartof its respective rod j which is rotatably mounted at one end in the upper part of the upstanding projection 9 attached tothe lower frame 6 and at the other end is similarly mounted in the over-' hanging portion of the projection 9 Each rod 7" isfitted with a winged plate-j for rotating it and the cranked portion 7 for increasing or decreasing thepressure of the spring plate f I The alternative construction shown in Figure 8 comprises a member on pivotally .mounted on eacl'i' upstanding projection g ai'id a'dapted to be operatedby a lever m for clamping and unclamping a racket between the upper and lower frames a and b through the spring platef Each side of the press is fitted with this for-1nof means for operating the frames and the two levers thusrequired may be independently openated or may be connected by a link for op: erating'the' same collectively What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United Statesiis':":

' I. A racket press comprising i n com-bination,- a pair of superposedframes, springs acting-to separate said frames so that aracket ma be 'io'sitio'ned between them, and a reckingmember mountedin on one of said frames and provided with a pluralit of cam means, spaced lon 'tudinally 0 said member and positione ad]acent opposite edges of the frame, adapted to simultaneously act to effect movement of the frames in opposition to the springs.

2. A racket press comprising, in combina tion, a pair of superposed frames, springs acting to separate said frames so that a racket may be positioned between them, two elongated yielding plates on one frame, in substantial parallelism with opposite edges of the frame, and a rocking member extending transversely across said frame and plates and provided with cam means contacting with each of said plates, whereby as said member is rocked the frames will be forced toward each other in opposition to the intermediate springs.

3. A racket press comprising, in combination, a pair of superposed frames, each including two members adapted to extend lengthwise of the sides of a racket frame and cross bars connecting said members, springs acting to separate said press frames so that a racket may be positioned between them, and a rocking member having coaxial oppositely directed arms engaging hearings on one of the press frames and each provided with cam means adapted to effect relative movement between the press frames in opposition to the springs as said member is rocked in its bearings.

4:. A racket press comprising, in combination, a pair of superposed frames, each including two members adapted to extend lengthwise of the sides of a racket frame and cross bars connecting said members, springs acting to separate said press frames so that a racket may be positioned between them, two elongated yielding plates extending lengthwise of the side members of one of the press frames, a rocking member having coaxial oppositely directed arms engaging hearings on the other press frame and extending across said plates, each of said arms being offset in alignment with said plates, whereby the press frames will be moved in opposition to the springs as said member is rocked in its bearings.

SPENSER FLOWER. 

